US Lawmakers Write President Joe Biden, Accuse Nigeria Of Holding Binance Executive Hostage

A group of 16 Republican congressmen, led by Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul, have written to President Joe Biden urging him to intervene in the detention of Tigran Gambaryan, a US citizen and executive at Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.

Gambaryan has been held in Abuja, Nigeria since April 2024, and is facing charges of money laundering and tax evasion alongside Binance.

The lawmakers claim that the charges are baseless and constitute a coercion tactic by the Nigerian government to extort his employer.

The lawmakers have requested that the case be referred to the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, citing Gambaryan’s status as a “US Citizen wrongfully detained by a foreign government”.

However, Nigerian Information Minister Mohammed Idris has rejected the allegation, stating that Gambaryan is being held in accordance with Nigerian law and that “nobody’s life is in danger”.

The situation highlights the complexities of international criminal justice and the challenges faced by global companies operating in multiple jurisdictions.”